Why Obama Derangement Syndrome Has Stopped Being Funny

[Barack_America]

Why Obama Derangement Syndrome Has Stopped Being Funny

By SHAUN MULLEN

GUEST VOICE

The murder of three Pittsburgh police officers last week by a young man who bought into right-wing lunatic fringe fears that the president is going to outlaw guns is an extreme manifestation of Obama Derangement Syndrome. But to suggest, as one right-of-center commentator has, that people like myself who make such connections are irrational is the grown-up equivalent of a child closing his eyes, putting fingers in his ears and chanting nothings to try to drown out a parent or teacher.

<snip>

It did — barely — which brings us to Obama Derangement Syndrome and fears that the new president will not only ban guns but lead a communist and/or socialist coup, open the borders to all comers, herd citizens into domestic detention camps, and abandon Israel.

What these syndromes have in common is an irrationality that sometimes manifests itself in paranoia, which was evident in the extreme actions of 22-year-old white supremacist Richard Poplawski, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest and armed with an AK-47 rifle, a .22 long rifle and a pistol when the three officers were dispatched to his Pittsburgh home and he in turn dispatched them.

* * * * *

But in the case of Obama Derangement Syndrome there is an additional element that was merely amusing a few weeks ago but has, in my view, become worrisome if not downright alarming: The apocalyptic and very public comments of prominent Republicans such as Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, tough guy actor Chuck Norris and Fox News pontificater Glenn Beck whose delusional brand of patriotism leads them to proclaim that a second American Revolution may be necessary and it will not be nonviolent...

http://themoderatevoice.com/28298/why-obama-derangement-syndrome-has-stopped-being-funny/

Is the Right going to far in stirring up these fears?

[JuniperLea]

1. Yes, the right is going too far...

Their incessant fear tactics are clearly causing emotional duress on those who believe the lies, and those who are caught in the crossfire... literally and figuratively.

[sui generis]

3. Yeah the other side of the coin is

the rabidly pro-Obama crackpots limit themselves to verbal violence.

Makes me think that voluntary violence and social conservatism are two forms of disordered thinking that seem to coexist well in the proverbial 20%.

[JuniperLea]

4. "disordered thinking"

That nails it.

[No Elephants]

16. So, verbal support of Obama is verbal violence to you and the equivalent of

random mass murder?

[flor de jasmim]

2. DEFINITELY too far.

[14thColony]

5. They were past 'too far' by October 2008

and then they hit the gas and shifted into fifth.

[Believing Is Art]

6. Yes, obviously, but what can be done about it?

They haven't crossed the line; many are right at it and that's more than enough to stir up the fanatics. But they are protected by free speech.

I'm probably naively hoping that Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity and all don't realize what they're doing and probably don't see any connection between their rhetoric and the violence it creates. But if some of them do, is it a twofer for them? They get to spew their venom and then when it creates a monster, they get to claim how bad things are when Democrats are in power?

[Doctor_J]

7. Personally, I think that sooner, rather than later,

we will confront what has to be done, and do it. It will be rather costly in the short term, but will become neccessary to save the US. The time is right - the entire world is again on our side and want America to survive and lead the Free World again. In the big scheme of things, the rabid right/hate radio/cable news militia is a tiny speck and wouldn't last a week if the sane 99.9% stood up to them.

As for their free speech, they are at present "yelling fire in a crowded theatre", which is not protected.

[Igel]

11. Snicker. n/t

[MadMaddie]

8. Yes, they are committing sedition!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sedition
SEDITION

–noun 1. incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government.
2. any action, esp. in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion.
3. Archaic . rebellious disorder.


sedition

noun
an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government


http://www.constitution.org/rf/sedition_1798.htm

[Barack_America]

9. Interesting take.

Hmmm...

[X_Digger]

13. Careful..

Sedition laws are insidious in their scope and application. 'Promoting discontent' is another word for 'starting a grass roots effort to wake people up to the reality of X'.

If * had been able to squash talk about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan under the guise of stopping the 'incitement of discontent against a government' would you be cool with that?

[No Elephants]

15. They are talking about VIOLENT overthrow of the government of the United States, not simply

disagreeing with a course government is taking.

[X_Digger]

17. Agreed, but dangerous path to start down..

Incite to violence? Yes, that's not protected speech. "talking about it"? Close, but not over. They're very careful to stop just shy of the line. Personally, I can't wait until one of the fucktards steps over, and the secret service comes knocking.

Sedition laws scare the crap out of me. I can see Joe McCarthy's evil face everytime someone mentions sedition.

[Igel]

10. Yes, they're going to far.

Not illegally too far, just beyond what common sense, logic, reason (etc.) would allow.

They're being silly, of course. I mean, it's like having somebody expect * to shut down the Internet, lead a fascist coup, round up all the illegal immigrants (and many of the legal ones), herd citizens into domestic detention camps, and bomb Iran.

The very idea.

[Demeter]

12. Thing Is, All THOSE Expectations Have Been Verified

and documentation has been revealed.

[Enthusiast]

14. Face it, these zealots are little

different than their 1930 brown shirt counterparts. The ignorant are easily led. We see it in their angry puzzled faces. These types are so delusional that they still fear Bill and Hillary Clinton are taking their guns away, even though it didn't happen then. Their every fear has been validated because a "ni**er" is in the whitehouse. This is the fact. Bigotry, ignorance and fear make for a dangerous combination.

[Faygo Kid]

18. Pretty popular here at DU, as well.

I say that as a long-time veteran here. The criticism isn't much different here than you find from the FReepers. And almost as numerous.